Springfield EMP- 1st range visit recap

[ScubaSigGuy]

I took deliver of my new EMP 9mm on Tuesday. Since the place that I bought it is also the range that I do most of my indoor shooting at, I bet you could have guessed that I also had a 250 rd box of UMC with me.

Let me say that this gun seems to be very accurate. I am not a great shooter by any means (but I am working on it) and I was able to connect the first 36 shots in the same 3" hole, shooting at progressively greater distances from 7 feet to 15 yards. All the shots hit where placed except for the very first round which I managed to push low to the left. The shots were fired as quickly as I could establish a clear site picture, which was made easier by the low recoil of the 9mm.

The downside is that I had 14 failures to fire and several failures to feed during the first 250 rds. Now I am not complaining since I did not clean the gun prior to shooting, and I know that it will need at least another 500 rds to break it in. The failures to fire were not caused by the ammunition as I fed every one of those rounds to my XD sub and it handled them all. The problem with the failure to feeds seems to be steeply angled feed ramp. I had the same feeding problem to a lesser degree with my Kimber that seems to have worked itself out.

All in all I am very impressed with the accuracy and feel of the EMP. The reliability of course remains to be seen. I have no reason not to believe that after the proper break-in period these issues will disappear. The only things that I plan on changing are the addition of a magwell and some checkering on the front strap.

On a side note: One of the reasons that I made this purchase was because I wanted a 9mm carry option, and I like the 1911 platform (I love Sigs, but all of mine are too bulky for carry) while limiting the number of holsters needed. I had already ordered a C-Tac slider for my Kimber, and couldn’t wait to get it to see if it would work for the EMP as well. The EMP fit perfectly without any adjustment to the retention screws. The EMP has a ways to go before I will be comfortable enough to carry it (when my plastic gets here), but I think that the EMP/C-Tac combo will work well.

Just my opinion FWIW.

[Stupid]

Not to rain on your parade, but in my stupid view, a gun, especially something like the EMP, must work right out of the box. It's not acceptable to have ANY stoppage. The 500rd break-in period is just CRAP.

On the other hand, try to manually cycle your slide with rounds a few hundred times. It helped in my case. I did about 700 cycles. However, please be extremely careful as you are cycling live rounds.

[TX Rancher]

I had a 92F that took ~300 rounds before it stopped failing to feed, and I had a similar issue with my Para P-12, so brand name produced weapons do have troubles at times. In the case of the 92F, after the weapon had a chance to wear the rough edges off, it operated flawlessly. The FTF on the Para were caused by the magazine spring (a not unheard of issue with Para's)

But I am a little surprised you have that issue with the Springfield EMP. UMC is not generally considered bad practice ammunition, so it’s probably not that.

My suggestion is to give the folks at Springfield a call. While they do manufacture top notch weapons, their processes are not flawless and mistakes get through. I received an M1A from them once that had several flaws, which they corrected after I contacted them.

But I would get it corrected. If it’s having trouble with what I assume to be ball ammo, it may have more trouble with JHP defensive rounds.

You mentioned the feedramp as a possible cause but don’t forget to go over the magazine (it can cause FTF too).

[nuparadigm]

...
On the other hand, try to manually cycle your slide with rounds a few hundred times. It helped in my case. I did about 700 cycles. However, please be extremely careful as you are cycling live rounds.

For this purpose, I maintain 10 primerless/powderless rounds in several calibers. They tend to cut-down on the "pucker factor" when breaking in a new handgun in this manner.

[ScubaSigGuy]

I put 250 more rounds through it on Wednesday and had just one failure to fire with no other issues Still not perfect but getting better.

[flintknapper]

I never take a "new" auto right out and shoot it. Seems like a waste of ammo to me.

At the very least...I disassemble the slide from the frame, remove the recoil spring, apply a small amount of jeweler's rouge and sit in front of the TV for an hour or so working the slide back and forth. Polish the feed ramp, clean her up and then go shoot.

If you have problems after that, then you can generally look to the magazine, or springs.

Of course, I know full well...most people can not wait to go shoot their new purchase, but don't be surprised if it doesn't "run" just perfect until its been shot some.

Source for jeweler's rouge:

http://www.hobbytool.com/index.asp?Page ... &ProdID=72

[lrb111]

I never take a "new" auto right out and shoot it. Seems like a waste of ammo to me.

At the very least...I disassemble the slide from the frame, remove the recoil spring, apply a small amount of jeweler's rouge and sit in front of the TV for an hour or so working the slide back and forth. Polish the feed ramp, clean her up and then go shoot.

If you have problems after that, then you can generally look to the magazine, or springs.

Of course, I know full well...most people can not wait to go shoot their new purchase, but don't be surprised if it doesn't "run" just perfect until its been shot some.

Source for jeweler's rouge:

http://www.hobbytool.com/index.asp?Page ... &ProdID=72

I do a similar buff on the magazines. I have several Chip McCormicks that had really rough edges from the metal being stamped out before bending to shape.

I used about a foot long strip of emory cloth an inch wide. Stuck a 3/8th wooden dowel in the top of the mag like a cartridge. The ran the cloth by the lips along the length of the dowel.
About 4 passes cleaned those ragged edges up pretty well.

[casselthief]

On the other hand, try to manually cycle your slide with rounds a few hundred times.

sounds to me like breaking it in.

ah, well.

[CWOOD]

They are more complete in their "tuning" than I am. However, what I ALWAYS do with a new-to-me semi-auto is to take a piece of dowel rod and use emory cloth orbits of 400 grit wet/dry abrasive sheets and polish the feed ramp until it is very shiny. I do it in Glocks, Colt 1911, Ruger P's etc. For a .22 you can use 1/4", for 9mm and .40 use 3/8", and for .45 and .50 use 1/2". For .45, I shave the sides of the rod just a bit.

This practice has effectively eliminated fail to feed problems.

As for polishing the slide rails, I find it more fun to do it at the range with live ammo.

Good luck on yours.

I never take a "new" auto right out and shoot it. Seems like a waste of ammo to me.

At the very least...I disassemble the slide from the frame, remove the recoil spring, apply a small amount of jeweler's rouge and sit in front of the TV for an hour or so working the slide back and forth. Polish the feed ramp, clean her up and then go shoot.

If you have problems after that, then you can generally look to the magazine, or springs.

Of course, I know full well...most people can not wait to go shoot their new purchase, but don't be surprised if it doesn't "run" just perfect until its been shot some.

Source for jeweler's rouge:

http://www.hobbytool.com/index.asp?Page ... &ProdID=72

I do a similar buff on the magazines. I have several Chip McCormicks that had really rough edges from the metal being stamped out before bending to shape.

I used about a foot long strip of emory cloth an inch wide. Stuck a 3/8th wooden dowel in the top of the mag like a cartridge. The ran the cloth by the lips along the length of the dowel.
About 4 passes cleaned those ragged edges up pretty well.

[lrb111]

They are more complete in their "tuning" than I am. However, what I ALWAYS do with a new-to-me semi-auto is to take a piece of dowel rod and use emory cloth orbits of 400 grit wet/dry abrasive sheets and polish the feed ramp until it is very shiny. I do it in Glocks, Colt 1911, Ruger P's etc. For a .22 you can use 1/4", for 9mm and .40 use 3/8", and for .45 and .50 use 1/2". For .45, I shave the sides of the rod just a bit.

This practice has effectively eliminated fail to feed problems.

As for polishing the slide rails, I find it more fun to do it at the range with live ammo.

Good luck on yours.

Clover Leaf lapping compound

[Show Killer]

Source for jeweler's rouge:

http://www.hobbytool.com/index.asp?Page ... &ProdID=72

You can get it at Home Depot also.

[flintknapper]

They are more complete in their "tuning" than I am. However, what I ALWAYS do with a new-to-me semi-auto is to take a piece of dowel rod and use emory cloth orbits of 400 grit wet/dry abrasive sheets and polish the feed ramp until it is very shiny. I do it in Glocks, Colt 1911, Ruger P's etc. For a .22 you can use 1/4", for 9mm and .40 use 3/8", and for .45 and .50 use 1/2". For .45, I shave the sides of the rod just a bit.

This practice has effectively eliminated fail to feed problems.

As for polishing the slide rails, I find it more fun to do it at the range with live ammo.

Good luck on yours.

Clover Leaf lapping compound

Yup,

Use that too.

Available at most auto parts stores.

[lrb111]

Clover Leaf lapping compound
----------------------------------------------
Yup,

Use that too.

Available at most auto parts stores.

A couple years back I found a local store that is basically a machinist's & metal worker's supply.
Since, I'm never real sure just what I need they let me walk the aisles of storage shelves. Just a big toy store to me

[HankB]

I always polish the feed ramp with a Dremel tool.

Seriously, I've seen a LOT of guns butchered with a Dremel, but if you use the right bits, no problem.

Polishing a feed ramp first takes place with one of the abrasive-impregnated rubber bits, NOT repeat NOT a grinding wheel!!

Final polishing is done with a felt wheel charged with a polishing compound like Simichrome.

I check the mags out, too . . . I had some new FAL mags that had a sharp edge on the bottom of the feed lips that dragged on the loaded rounds; breaking the edges made for slick function.

So . . . when I get a new gun, I thoroughly inspect it, buff it where I think it needs it, clean & lube, then go to the range. If it then doesn't work right, I'm not a happy camper.

[stash]

ScubaSigGuy - If the EMP you got is the same as the one depicted on the cover of the current American Rifleman you are a lucky man. That is a sweet looking little pistola. Hope you get the problems worked out.